Airplane



F. RUTRLE May 24, 1932.

AIRPLANE Filed March 12, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR F. FUTRLE ATTORNEYS May 24, 1932. RUTRLE I 1,859,716

- AIRPLANE Filed March 12, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 fnj suroa 071% E Bw fl ATTORNEYS F. RUTRLE May 24, 1932.

AIRPLANE Filed March 12, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR fi Ear/aw ATTORNEYS Patented May 24, ,1932

UNITED STATES FRANK RUTRLE, F SHELBY, MONTANA mam Application filed larch 12, 1928. Serial No. 261,087. I

M invention'relates to improvements in airp anes, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide an airplane which is adapted to ascend vertically from the ground, and an airplane which when once it is moving in the air may also be causedto descend vertically with respect to m, the earths surface.

A further object is to provide an airplane in which the means employed for causingthe airplane to ascend or descend is also emplo ed for causing the airplane to move forwar ly.

15, .A- further object is to provide an airplane in which means is employed for permitting the airplane to descend with a maximum degree of safety as when the motor stops.

A further object is to provide an airplane go in which the wing construction is such as to permit the airplane to be practically collapsed for housing purposes and the like, thereby dispensing w1th the necessity of disassemblin the airplane.

25 Other 0 jects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is' illustrated in the accomao panying drawings, forming part of this application, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of an airplane embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional detail view of a portion of my device,

in Figure 4, Figure 6 is a sectional detail, view of E'portion of the driving mechanism for one of the propellers,

Fi ure 7 is a detail view of the steering control or the rudders,- and Figure 8 is a side elevation. of the device shown in Figure 7'.

In carrying out my invention, I make use 5 of a fuselage 1, such as that shown in Fig- Figure 5 is a plan view of the device shownures 1 and 2. The fuselage 1 is provided with an upper deck 2 spaced away from the top surface of the fuselage. Wings 3 and 4 are pivotally mounted at 5 and 6 between the upper deck 2 and the fuselage 1. The mounting of the wings 3 and 4 is such that the wings may be pivoted upon axes 5 and 6 for bringing the wings substantially parallel with the fuselage 1.

Means for swinging the wings 3 and 4 about the axes 5 and 6 consists of arms v7 and 8 pivotally connected at 9 and 10 with the wings 3 and 4 and with a connecting rod 11 associated with an air plunger 12 within an air cylinder 13. Thus it will be seen that. movement of the plunger 12 will result in a relative movement of the wings 3 and 4.

Propellers 14 and 15 are mounted underneath the wings 3 and 4 and mounted for retation in a plane substantially. parallel with the wings 3 and 4. The propellers 14' and 15 are supported upon the fuselage 1 by means of suitable brace members 16 and 17. The propellers are operatively connected with a motor 18 by means of revolving shafts 19' and 20. The propellers are provided with suitable bearing elements 21, such as that shown in Figure 6, upon which a bevel gear 22 is mounted and d sposed in engagement with a similar bevel gear 23 which is mounted upon each of the shafts 19 and 20. Each of the revolving shafts is provided with a universal joint 24. It will now be seen that the bearing element 21, as shown in Fi re 6, which provides the axis about which t e propeller14 revolves is dis osed in a'plane at right. angles to the revo ving shaft 19. The mechanism associated with each of propellers is identical in construction and o eration so ghafi the description of one is a equate for ot i The revolving shafts 19 and are provided with suitable throw-out disc clutches 25 and 26, as shown in Figure 2. The revolving shafts are operatively connected wlth an air compressor 27 by means of chains 28 and 29. The chains 28 and; 29 pass aroundsprockets 30 and 31 which are carried by shafts 32 and 33 associated fiVit-h the air compressor 27. Sprockets 34 and 35 are mounted the air compressor 27. Suitable bracing B Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, it will is 1provided for rigidly supporting the pro-- pe lers 14 and 15.

be noted that I have provided a vertical rudder 36 pivotally mounted at 37 upon therear end of the fuselage 1 and a horizontal rudder 38 pivotally mounted at .39. Means for actuating the vertical rudder 36 consists in the provision of a control mechanism M, such asshown in'Figures 7 and 8, mounted upon the floor portion 40 of. the fuselage 1 1n the customary position for convenient access' to the operator of the machine. The control mechanism consists of a hand wheel 41 which is rotatably mounted upon a pivot 42. A; suitable wheel 43 is associated with the hand wheel around which a control cable 44 is passed. -'The pivot 42 is mounted upon aswinging support 45 which is pivotally mounted at 46 upon a base member 47. The control cable 44 passes around suitable pulleys 48 and 49. The control cable 44 passes rearwardly and is operatively OOHIIGOtEQ WIth a horizontal rudder lever 50. The lever 50 is secured to a worm 51 which is disposed in.

operative engagement with a worm gear 52, see Figures 4 and 5. The worm gear 52 1s rigidly-secured to a shaft 53 which 1s adapted to move the horizontal rudder 38 when the worm. gear 52 is rotated. The shaft 53 forms the pivot 39 shown in Figure 1. It will thus be seen that when the hand wheel 41.1s r0 tated, the cable 44 will be moved, thereby causing the worm 51 to rotate for moving the horizontal rudder 38. a

'Control cables 54 and 55 are connected with the swinging support. 45, as shown in Figures 7 and 8. These cables run rearwardly and .are connected with a vertical rudder lever 56 which isoperativelg; connected with a worm 57. The worm 57 is operatively con-v nected with a worm gear 58 mounted upon a shaft 59 which forms the pivot 37 shown in Fi re 1. The swinging support-45 may beoscillated about the pivot 46 for moving the cables 54 and 55. Oscillation of the swing-.

ing s'upport45 will of course cause a relative movement of the vertical rudder 36.

The fuselage 1 is provided with the usual running gear wheelsW and atail skid S, such as that shown in Figure 1. These features lrowever form no part of the present invenion.

When the airplane is upon the ground preparatory to flyin the wings are moved back substantially adjacent the fuselage and the motor is started for actuating the propellers.

The constriction of the air is such at this time that the airplane will be caused to move forwardly upon the ground, the speed being based upon the rate of rotation of the propellers, and when the wings are mo ed into the horizontal rudder is moved into a planesubstantially in longitudinal alignment with the fuselage.

-When flying, the airplane may be turned 45 about the pivot 46, thus actuating the worm 57, the worm gear 58 and the vertical rudder 36. If it is desired to raise or lower the airplane in flight, the hand wheel 41 is turned, for moving the cable 44. Movement of. the cable will rotate the worm 51, the worm gear 52 and the horizontal rudder 38.

- During the operation of the motor 18, the

.compressor27 will be operated through the medium/of the chains 28 and 29 for creating a supply of compressed air. Suitable stora tanks 60 for the air may be provided within the fuselage. The compressor 27 however may be cut off from the motor 18 by disengaging clutch mechanisms C. Should the motor 18 for any reason stop during the flight ofthe airplane, the ropellers 14 and 15 mag continue to operate y sup lying compresse air to the air compressor 27 tation of the shafts 32 and 33. Since the chains 28 and 29 connect the shafts 32 and 33 with the shafts 19 and 20, it will be seen that the propellers are operativel connected with the compressor. During flig t, the propellers may be disconnected from the motor by reason of the clutches 25 and 26. Since the clutches 25 and 26 may be actuated independently of each other, one ofthe propellers may ane which may be ner providingl an air orizonta plane substantially may be easily and quickly moved by controlling the flow of der 13.

It will be seen that when the wings are disposed horizontally with respect to the fusecompressed air to the cylinage and -the propellers are revolving forconstricting-the air against the u per surface of. the wings, the pressure at will'bevreduced so that the airplane will ascend vertically. This is an important feature in. connection with my invention. in that it enables an airplane to ascend or descend without the necessity of realtively large landing fields. v 1

l1: clXim:

n airplane com a fuselage win pivotally secure .thergto, pro er; carried by the fuselage and arranged 01'" 1'0- tatronina plane parallel to'th'e wings, means for driving the propellers, compressed actuated means for moving said wings about for causing a roto the right or left by swinging the support be slowed up during fli ht and in this manat point ram-no their pivots, an air compressor, and means 0peratively connecting said compressor with said first named means.

2. An airplane comprising a fuselage provided with an upper deck, wings pivotall carried by the fuselage and disposed beneat the upper-deck and normally extending lat-- erally therefrom, and'propeller' means disposed beneath each of the wings, said propeller means, said deck, and said wings be-- mg arrangedto cause a downward flow of air around the fuselage, the edges of said deck, and said wings, said propeller means being arranged to force a downward flow of air beneath the propeller, the up er surface of said deck being convex for de ectin the air downwardly when the plane is lii ted upwardly by said propeller, said wings being adapted to be folded rearwardly when'the plane is being lifted off the ground.

Si ned at Shelby, in the county ofsToole and tate of Montana, this 7th day of March,

FRANK RUTRLE. 

